What’s the Big Idea? quite impressive actually!

On offer was the opportunity for an event manager or student (under 30 years old) to spend a week with each of three of the top event producers in the world.

David Grant (Sydney), David Jamilly (London) and David Merrell (Los Angeles) were on hand to judge the entries from the young event managers who had to pitch their idea for an imaginative event.

The finalists presented their ideas to the judges in front of the audience at the Australian Event Symposium.

Rebecca Morgan pitched a Symposium of Social Networkers to be held at Ularu. Jessica Ireland came up with an iconic picnic at Mrs Macquarie’s chair. Jessica Young presented her ideas for the Great Australian Race (an Aussie take on the Paris Dakkar); Alexandra Doyle also pitched a cross country event starting at Orallea. Melanie Boulton came up with probably the most achievable concept – a riverside festival on the Murray River.

The judges awarded the prize to Amelia Rogers (an Event Manager at Katerina Creative Projects) for her concept of a series of gateways leading from the extreme points of Australia to the centre.

Imagine hundreds of coloured gates making their way across our continent, starting at the four farthest points of Australia, dotting the native landscape like an indigenous painting and winding their way toward the centre.

NB: For the purposes of my submission I’ve used Christo gates . . .

Now, imagine the thousands of people who will make this journey from all over Australia, and hopefully the world, to view Uluru in this unique setting.

For those who decide to take a more traditional route, on foot they will embark on an experience like nothing before, and along the way will be joined by hundreds of others who want to share it with them, even if only for an hour or two.

But why walk?

My idea was to make the event inclusive; I want as many people as possible to see the changing facets of this spectacular landscape, but in doing so leaving only footprints. Having them follow a path will help them experience the scale and distance of this land no matter which way they travel.

So whether you’re in a car driving through the tiny town of Coolup in Western Australia where the gates have brightly crossed the main street, or flying over the city of Geelong where they’ve become the local team’s AFL goal posts, or you’re looking at the gates framing the views from Cape Byron. The path allows every person to connect with each other, the community, and the landscape.

I want people of all kinds to travel through the gates ‘photographing, ‘posting, ‘commenting & ‘tagging’ along the way.

I’d like to involve social media and send registered ‘Central Lights’ Facebook fans RFID bracelets – so as they passed through the gates they can scan their bracelets which will log how many gates they’ve past, the distance they’ve travelled and even log their position on Facebook!

So while thousands can take part in the journey, millions more can share in the experience.

Once our travelers arrive at Uluru, they’ll come upon a sight that will live in their memories forever – as this grand monolith becomes a canvas for the most ingenious, and creative minds of our country.

Central Lights guests will be greeted by an army of waiters and hosts each keen to get them settled into their specific areas. The areas are divided up into hospitality packages as per the cost of their ticket.

There are three hospitality packages:

‘Causal Backyard BBQ – hosted by Australian chef – Peter Evans.

‘The Outback Lounge’ –hosted by local Hotel operator, Longitude & assisted by a local caterer.

And ‘Starlight Dining’ – hosted by Australian Chef, Justin North.
These packages are delineated within the 7 areas of the ‘accommodation’ as seen on your site map

At approx. 8pm once everyone is settled and has been fed and watered, the lights go down and the show begins.

Uluru, disappearing under the western sky is transformed into an intense and exciting wall of colour and movement, as an intricate matrix of changing video images are projected upon its ancient surface.

Waterfalls erupt from its darkest crevices, dots of aboriginal art dance across the surface; lush and exotic greenery grows up the rock face and climbs into the night.

The projected images are set to a collection of Australian artists, creating an emotive soundtrack that has moments of both live and recorded performance. Kylie singing twisted jazz, Jet performing with a didgeridoo player, Angus and Julia performing their ethereal magic.

Stories, modern and ancient are told, another-worldly journey is created and played out, the experience is mesmerizing, haunting, magical and like this great continent, unique and completely unforgettable.

There are no fireworks to end the show, for this is not a closing ceremony, but the place where an outer journey and inner event have completed their paths

An event that marks the beginning of a new and vibrant cultural experience for our country, Australia.